Hand brake rigging



May 29, 1962 R. K. scHLossER, .JR 3,036,666

HAND BRAKE RIGGING 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 19, 1958 H IS ATTORNEYlMay 29, 1962 R. K. scHLossER, JR 3,036,666

HAND "BRAKE RIGGING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 19, 1958 INVENTOR I,Pz/555 1./ c/foSsf/P, JA?

BY Q f HIS ATTORNEY Patented May 29, i952 3,036,666 HAND BRAKE RIGGINGRussell K. Schlosser, Jr., Erie, Pa., assigner to General ElectricCompany, a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 19, 1958, Ser. No. 722,463It Claims. (Cl. 18S-46) This invention relates to hand brake riggingand, more particularly, to a hand brake rigging which will apply asubstantially uniform braking force to the brake shoes of a locomotiveregardless of relative rotation between the locomotive bedplate `and thetruck occurring during negotiation of curved track.

For many years, hand brakes have been used in rail vehicles such aslocomotives to maintain the vehicles in a given location once they arestopped. Also, under emergency conditions, the hand brakes will retard amoving vehicle. However, it invariably occurs that the hand brake wheelis located on the platform of the body of the vehicle while the brakesthemselves are located on the truck under the vehicle. Since the releaseof the hand brakes may be accomplished by providing 1a fraction of aninch slack in the hand brake rigging and since it is often desirable toutilize the hand brakes, in the absence of air pressure, as an emergencybrake to stop the vehicles, it is essential to have a rigging betweenthe hand brake wheel and the brake shoe linkage which will be unaffectedby relative rotation by the truck and the body experienced duringentrance or exit from a curved piece of track. Without such anarrangement, the movement over the curved track and resulting relativerotation will change the effective distance between the hand wheel andthe brake shoes to either partially release the brakes or increase thetension of the brake rigging and linkage. Release of the brakes can becompensated for by rapid movement of the hand wheel. However, increasedtension, even when the brakes have been released, is likely to cause arupture in the hand brake rigging.

ln the past, several rather complicated linkage mechanisms have beendevised 4in attempts to compensate for such tension variation. Usuallysuch a rigging was usable only with a truck where the linkage could beconnected to the truck eifectively at its center line. However, suchconnection is not feasible with a 3-axle locomotive truck where abolster spans the center of the truck and traction motors, etc., fillsubstantially all of the space at the center line of thet ruck.

Therefore, an object of my invention is to provide a simple and reliablehand brake rigging which will be substantially unaffected by relativerotation between the rail vehicle frame and the truck.

Briefly, in accordance with one aspect of my invention, a hand wheel ismounted on the frame of the locomotive supported on a pivotable truck.The hand brake rigging conducts a braking force from the hand wheel tothe brake linkage which actautes the braking shoes of the truck. Bothends of the rigging rare secured to the frame to insure substantiallyuniform tension within J[he linkage when the brake shoes are actuated bythe hand brake rig ging regardless of the relative rotation of thetruck.

The subject matter which I regard as my invention is particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of thisspecification. My invention, however, as to its organization and methodof operation together with further objects and advantages thereof willbest be understood by reference to the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view partially in section of one end of thelocomotive illustrating a truck having the linkage of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a line diagram illustrating the effect on the hand brake andthe brake rigging of my invention of relative rotation of the truck; and

FIGS. 2a, and 2b are enlarged views of portions of the line diagram ofFIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawing, in which like numbers refer to similarparts, in FIG. l, I have shown one end of a locomotive frame 1t? whichis pivotably supported on a bolster il spanning the space between twotransverse members of a truck 12. rlhree axles as illustrated at 14 aremounted in the journal box cavities l5 to support the truck on thewheels 18. Usually, with a 3- axle truck of this construction, each ofthe axles 14 will be substantially surrounded by a traction motor (notshown). Obviously with such traction motors, the bolster 1l and otherelements such `as couplers, etc. (not shown), it is not feasible toattempt to provide clearance for the hand brake rigging through theaxial center of the truck l2.

in the hand brake rigging art, a hand wheel 26 is mounted on a standard2l and drivingly connected to a pulley arrangement well known in therailroad art to apply tension or braking force to a flexible link orchain 23. If it is necessary or desirable only to apply tension to achain 23 along one side of the locomotive to apply a braking force tothe wheels on one side of a truck, the handwheel 2G will be mounted onone side of the locomotive (not shown). However, it is feasible to usehand brake chains on each side of the locomotive. In order to align thebraking force vector created by the hand wheel 2t? to a longitudinaldirection in the chain 23 to the linking mechanism, a pulley wheel 24 isprovided. Obviously, other link arrangements could be used for slightlyVarying braking linkages.

It is apparent from FIG. l that the complete hand brake rigging andbrake linkage is relatively complicated. Therefore, l will start mydiscussion by explaining the effect on the brake linkage of a brakingforce. An arrow 3@ indicates the desired braking force vector to beapplied to the upper end of a lever 3l for causing the brake shoes 32and 33 to engage the running surfaces 34 of the Wheels 18. lt should benoted that the brake shoe 32 is supported by a pair of hangers (oneshown at 35) which are in turn pivotably supported on a portion of thetruck l2. Similarly, the brake shoe 33 is supported by a lever 36,pivotably supported from the truck frame.

During any braking operation, a braking force in the direction of thevector 30, applied to the lever 3l, will cause the lever 3l to move thebrake shoe 32 in a direction to cause braking engagement of ltheassociated wheel surface 34. At the same time, a counteracting forcewill be applied to compress a link 37 to cause a similar force to beapplied through the lever 36 to the brake shoe 33. It should be notedthat this compression in the link 37 is eifectively applied to bothbrake shoes 32 and 33. Thus the linkage leverage may be designed toapply equal braking pressures to both brake shoes 32 and 33.

According to my invention, I have shown a simplied arrangement of thehand brake rigging for applying the force 3d to the top of the lever 3i.The end of the chain 23 is secured to a hand brake lever 45 in a mannerto apply a braking force Vector 46 as shown. This will cause the lever45 to apply a reaction force vector to a rod 43 and a force to a linkSi. The link 5l applies its reactive force to a cylinder lever 53(pivotably secured at 54) in a direction which will apply the brakingforce vector 30 to the lever 3l.

At the other end of the truck .l2 similar braking action is occurring ina brake rigging substantially similar and complementary in elementalconfiguration yand operation to the `left hand end of the truck. A linkor rod 64) is `secured to a, pivot point 61 on the platform l0 of thelocomotive so that it may not be moved by the tension applied to the rod48. In other words, movement of the chain 23 in response to the force 46can not move the rod 60 and must cause tension in the rod 48. Thus, ahand brake lever 62 is pivotably secured to the rod 60 at a point 63 andthe tension in the rod 48 will cause a force, substantially equal to theforce applied to the link 51 but in an opposite direction, to be appliedto a link 65. This force causes rotation of a cylinder lever 68 aboutits pivotal support point 69 to apply a braking force vector 36a similarto the force vector Si) to a lever 31a functionally similar to lever 31but reversed because of its location at the opposite end of the truck12. Obviously, the reactions to force vector Sila may be envisionedclearly by a mirror copy of that discussed in connection with parts31-37- In the prior art structures, the link 62 has been pivotablysecured to the truck 12 so that rotation of the truck 12 about thecenter line of the bolster 1i would cause suiiicient movement within4the hand brake rigging to cause a slack variation of plus or minusthree inches.

' With such a connection when the hand brake rigging was released withthe locomotive on a straight track, movement of the locomotive from onetrack to another would often break the chain 23. This could occur withas much as 2 inches slack at the time of releasing the hand brakes. Ifthe brakes were released while the locomotive was on a curved track, thenecessary slack to prevent chain breakage could be as much as 5 inches.

However, I have found that by connecting the pivot point 63 to the frame10 (at the pivot point 61), I am able to limit the slack variation `ofthe hand brake rigging tot plus or minus 1A inch. Once the pivot point63 has been secured to the frame, the slack variation of a fraction ofan inch may be designed to be very small by making the distance betweenthe pulley 24 and the link 45 as long as practicable and equal to thelength of the link 60. Also, the distances between the respective pivotpoints of these links and the `center line of the bolster 11 may bebalanced to substantially eliminate any slack variation. However, aslack variation of one quarter inch is satisfactory for mostlapplications and further refinement would necessitate substantialrelocation of various other components on the truck. Although theadvantages of reducing the slack variation from i3 inches to il/J. inchare obvious, the economic considerations involved do not appear towarrant reduction of the il@ inch by substantial redesign of the truck12.

In order to prevent motion of the rod 48 other than desired longitudinalmotion, it is secured to the truck 12 by a sliding journal connectionsuch as the blocks 7@ having journal openings therethrough. lt shouldalso be noted that with respect to the forces applied by the links 23and 60 -to the levers 45 and 62, the rod 4S may be referred to asestablisihng the fulcrum of rotation.

It now becomes obvious that according to my invention tension of thechain 23 applied to the lever 45 will cause reacting forces in the rod43 and the link 51. This force in the rod 43 will be transmitted to thelever 62 and from there to the link 65 and the rod 60. Since the rod 6dis secured to the pivot point 6l on the locomotive frame 10, tension inthe rod 60 will not cause any `substantial longitudinal movement thereofwith respect to the frame 1t?.

Thus, the link 65 will be rotated to receive a braking force by movementof the rod 4S. This force will cause a lever 68 to move and apply thebraking force 30a to the lever 31a and apply the brakes at the righthand end of the truck.

It should be noted that the described movement of the levers 53 and 68will also move a rod 75 which is secured thereto and which rod passesinto and is operable by an air brake device 76. The air brake device '76is secured to the truck 12. Thus, the brake linkage used to apply airbrakes is also used to apply the tension cred ated in the hand brakerigging parts 23, 45, 48, 62 and 6G of my invention.

in the particular construction of brake linkage shown in FIG. l, thepivotal points 54 and 69 are not secured directly to the truck 12.Instead, these points are each pivotably secured to a link which isdrivingly connected to a lever 81. The lever 81 is pivotally mounted onthe truck 12 at the point S2 to apply braking force to a link 83 and alever 84 (pivoted on the truck 12) supporting a brake shoe 85 in amanner to cause engagement between the brake shoe 85 and the surface ofthe wheel nearest the end `of the truck. It should be noted that byusing floating fulcrums and preselected leverages, the tension in thelink 80 will cause engagement of the brake shoe 85 only` when lthebraking force is applied to the brake shoes 32 and 33. The leverage ofthis linkage Sil-85 is designed to apply a brake shoe pressure to thissurface, which is substantially equal to the brake shoe pressure at allother wheel surfaces.

`It is obvious that the brake linkage arrangement 31-37 and dlt-85 shownwill cause engagement -by the brake shoes 32, 33 and i85 of both leadingand trailing surfaces of each of the three wheels 18 on the one side ofthe truck 12. It should be noted that when no force 46 is applied by thechain 23, application of air pressure to both air brake devices 76 willcause compression in the brake linkage to apply a braking force to lthebrake shoes but will not cause tension in the rod y48 because of thefreedom of movement of the lever 45. However, with either air pressureoperation or hand bra-ke rigging operation, the braking force is appliedto all brake shoes.

1t will beoorne obvious from the following discussion of FIG. 2 that,according Ito .my invention, normal longitudinal movement iof thesupports 70 occasioned by truck rotation will not affect materially thetension of the chain 23 4and the rod l60. Moreover, with the hand brakeapplied rotation of the truck will merely cause rotation of the levers`45 and 62 but will not materially aifect the tension in the rod `48and, therefore, will not release the brakes nor substantially increasethe tension within the hand ybrake rigging. However, as pointed outabove, if the pivot point `63 were secured to the truck, truck rotationwould directly affect the tension in the rod 4S and ymight eitherrelease the brakes or ibreak the chain 23.

Referring now to FIG. 2, I have shown a simplified diagram of themovement of the links 23, `45, 48, 51, 60, 62 and 65 during relativerotation about t-he center 90 of the bolster 11 between the body 10 ofthe locomotive and the truck 12. Although most trucks are designed torotate relative to the locomotive body a maximum of 4, one particulartruck is designed to rotate as much as 5. Therefore, I have illustrateda 5 rotation of the body relative to 4the truck.

The solid lines 2.3-68 of FIG. 2 indicate the center lines .of thevarious links of my hand brake rigging when (l) the truck 12 is alignedwith the body 10, and (2) the brakes are engaging slightly the brakesurfaces of the wheel 18. The dot dashed lines indicate the position ofthe links when the body is rotated 5 clockwise relative to the truck andthe dotted lines represent 5 counterclockwise rotation.

By illustrating the lbody 10 as rotatable about the center 9th insteadof the truck 12, the drawing is sirnplied, partially because rod 48 hasits center line aligned by the guides 7i), and is movable onlylongitudinally.

It is obvious that the :maximum length of the various steel links isxed. Also, in FIG. 2, it is assumed that the :system is perfect and thebrake rigging links 53 and 63 do not move during relative rotationbetween the frame 1G and the truck 12. This relationship rnay beregulated partially by proper maintenance of t-he brake linkage slackadjustments (not shown). Since the distances between the ends of the rod48 and the adjacent ends of the links 23 and 60 are xed by the rigidlinks desees@ 45 and 62 respectively, these ends of the links 23 and `60will move in an arc of a large radius depending primarily on the angleof the links 45 and 62 relative to the rod 43.

Because of the relatively complicated mathematics involved, I prefer todiscuss only the major features critical to an optimum arrangement.First, it is obvious that the location of the fixed links `53 and 63depend to a large extent on the particular brake rigging. For an optimumhand brake system, the location of these links 53 and 63 should besymmetrical relative to the center 90 of the bolster.

Next, I prefer to locate the outer extremities 24 and 61 of links 23 and60 on a line parallel to the rod 48. On straight track, the links 23 and60 are also parallel to the rod 43. The distance between pivots 24 and61 is designed as long as practicable and the links 23 and 60 are alsodesigned as long as practicable. lt is obvious that if the links 23 and60 were of the length as short as the links 51 and 65 their angularpivotal movement during rotation of the truck 12 would be `substantiallyincreased, as would be any error introduced by such pivotal movement.

In order to clarify the phenomena `occurring in and adjacent to thelinks 45 and 62, portions or FIG. 2 have been enlarged in FIGS. 2a and2b.

Since the lengths A, B, C, D, E and lF of the links ('45 and 62), 4S,(45 and 62), (51 and 65), 6@ and 23 respectively are predetermined,relative rotation between the body 1d `and the truck 12 will cause therod dit to move longitudinally. The pivoting .of the links 2.3 and 60will substantially compensate (both moving in the same direction) sothat the tension of `the hand brake rigging will not be changedmaterially.

According to my invention, the combined effective longitudinal length(relative to the truck 12) of the links 23 and 60, when they are both ina parallel to the rod 48 is `slightly greater than their longitudinallength when both links are `slightly angled. Thus, it is apparent thatthere must be both theoretically and actually a small variation asindicated by the double pivotal connections 92 and 93 in FIG. 2a. Thiserror is the versed sine of the angle between the rod 48 and the link 60subtracted from the versed sine of the angle between the rod 48 and thelink 23. However, according to my invention wherein these angles aresmall because of the length of the links 23 `and 60 compared to themaximum relative rotation of the truck, the `slight er-ror compares veryfavorably to the magnitude of the required movement of the pivotal point63 ias Ishown in FIG. 2b by the distance between the points 95, 96 and97, which improvement could not `occur if the hand brake rigging werenot secured at both ends 24 and 61 to the frame 10.

While I have illustrated and described a particular modiiication of myinvention, other modications will occur to those skilled in the ant.=For instance, other rigging may be connected between the chain 23 andthe rod 60 of the rod 60 may be tensionable `from the frame by a secondhand wheel so long as both points of application of hand brake riggingand braking force are secured to the frame 10. Moreover, my hand brakerigging may be connected to supply a braking force vector to iotherbrake "linkage arrangements. Also, if only yone air pressure device wereused on a truck, the force between the hand wheel 20 and the rod 601could be transmitted to a link equivalent to link 51 by securing a linksimilar to link 65 to the truck 12 `so that tension could be maintainedin the rod 48. I intend, therefore, to cover in the appended claims allsuch modifications as tall within the true spirit and scope of myinvention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

l. In combination with a rail vehicle having a frame pivotally mountedon a truck including wheel and axle assemblies: a pair of brake linkagesmounted on one side of the truck adapted to transmit braking forces tothe wheels of that side of the truck, the brake linkages beingsubstantially similar and complementary in elemental conguration andoperation, each brake linkage including a generally horizontal cylinderlever having inboard and outboard ends and adapted to be actuated by apower device operatively and pivotally connected to the outboard endsthereof, actuation of said cylinder lever causing actuation of the otherelements of the brake linkage, said cylinder' levers being located onopposite sides of the pivot mounting of the frame on said one side ofthe truck, a hand brake linkage for causing actuation of the brakelinkages comprising, a rst generally horizontal hand brake lever havinginboard and outboard ends, a first link pivotally connected between theoutboard end of said irst hand brake lever and the outboard end of oneof said cylinder levers, a second generally horizontal hand brake leverhaving inboard and outboard ends, a second link pivotally connectedbetween the outboard end of said second hand brake lever and theoutboard end of the other of said cylinder levers, a first rod pivotallyconnected between mid-portions of said first and second hand brakelevers, a second rod having one end thereof pivotally connected to theinboard end of one of said hand brake levers and the other end thereofpivotally secured to the frame, hand brake linkage actuating meansmounted on the trarne, actuating link means pivotally connected at oneend to the inboard end of the other hand brake lever and connected atthe other end to the hand brake actuating means.

2. The hand brake linkage of claim 1 wherein the length of the secondrod and the actuating link means are substantially greater than thelength of said first and second links.

3. The hand brake linkage of claim 1 wherein the rst rod is journaledthrough guide means secured to the truck frame and is limited by saidguide means to essentially parallel movement with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the truck.

4. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein. the point at which the second rodis pivoted to the frame and the connection of said actuating link meansto the hand brake actuating means are on opposite sides of said. pivotmounting of said frame with respect to said one truck side and denne astraight line parallel to the longitudinal axis of the truck.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 714,236Posson Nov. 25, 1902 1,097,305 Doan May 19, 1914 1,156,490 Pilcher Oct.12, 1915 2,135,121 Baselt Nov. 1, 1938 2,371,182 Orr et al. Mar. 13,1945 2,657,771 Schettler Nov. 3, 1953 2,686,575 Bunker Aug. 17, 19542,940,546 Postma June 14, 1960 2,955,679 Herbert Oct. ll, 1960

